Waterbending Exercises
by WritingBookworm
Summary: Katara begins training Korra in Waterbending. Oneshot.


**A/N: So I wrote this just for the sake of writing a LoK fanfiction since I'm obsessed with Avatar at the moment. It probably isn't very good, but oh well. :P Enjoy!**

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_Waterbending Exercises_

"So what are we going to do first? Massive ice spikes? Make myself have tentacles like an octopus? Ooh- a huge hurricane?"

Katara smiled as she watched twelve year old Korra literally jump up and down in excitement at the thought of finally being able to learn Waterbending. Vaguely she wondered if Korra would break some of the South Pole's icy ground from her jumps' sheer force.

"How about some basic Waterbending exercises?"

Korra stopped jumping abruptly, the Sifu's words sinking in. Just basic Waterbending stuff? But…

"But I've already pretty much mastered the whole push and pull thing," she said. "I've even taught myself a bit of how to bend snow and steam and ice!"

Ah, all the different forms of water. Katara was had a feeling that teaching Korra Waterbending would be entertaining.

"Well, it couldn't hurt to warm up a little bit, could it?" she smiled at the tween.

Korra exhaled in surrender. "I guess not."

Her arms were a physical melody, back and forth, back and forth, pushing and pulling in a graceful rhythm. Occasionally Korra would perform a small Waterbending move in addition to the tiny wave, this time twirling a ring of water above her head before putting it back down.

Katara's eyes traced the lively Avatar's movements. Slowly the scene before her changed- the South Pole melded into a waterfall lagoon in spring's ripe arms. Soon the girl wasn't there, instead replaced with a bald, pale-skinned boy with blue tattoos that flowed from his head and to his arms and legs. A smile was embedded on his face, young gray eyes shining.

Even though the moment had been far back into the past, Katara felt herself attached. Her muscles dripped, eyes moistening.

"Aang…"

"What was that, Sifu?"

Korra and the South Pole were back. Realizing she had spaced out, Katara shook her head. "It's nothing."

Korra wasn't giving up. Her Waterbending came to a halt. "Something about Aang… he was the Avatar before me, right?"

Once again Aang appeared. "Yes, he was," she said fondly. "You are very different from him, yet similar. Aang was also quite eager to learn the four elements."

"What was Avatar Aang like?"

"Peaceful," said Katara automatically. "He never killed anyone, not even Fire Lord Ozai, and only attacked when he absolutely had to. Aang never even ate meat out of respect for all living creatures."

Korra's soft blue eyes became the size of large bubbles. "He didn't eat meat? My past life- _I _refused to eat meat?" While she had never been nearly as obsessive over meat as Sokka, Katara noted that the Avatar did enjoy it quite a bit. "How was he able to _live_?"

Katara chuckled. "By being positive and kind. Of course, this led to him being naïve sometimes, but for the most part, he was smart and brave and funny…" she trailed off, awestruck once she really thought about her words.

"…I'm glad to have been his wife."

The young Avatar lowered her eyes along with the Sifu's. For a few seconds an irrepressible silence hovered, dividing the two Waterbenders but bringing them together at the same time.

"And his Waterbending teacher," Korra finally added.

Katara smiled. "Yes. And his Waterbending teacher." Then her face brightened, an idea coming to mind. "Speaking of Waterbending, I think you've warmed up enough. It's about time I showed you one of my favorite Waterbending moves." Korra's eyes shone in anticipation. Taking her delight to her advantage, Katara leaned forward, held her mittened hand to her mouth as if she were telling a secret, then added slyly, "It comes from a Waterbending scroll that I stole from pirates."

"You WHAT?"

Katara chuckled at her reaction. "But… that's not possible! Wise, caring, Sifu Katara… _stealing_?"

"It didn't have pleasant consequences," she admitted. "Anyways, let's begin your Waterbending training."

With that, she summoned some water to her side. After a few harmonious movements with her hands, Katara extended the water into a long tendril.

"It's called the water whip," Katara explained as she set aside the clear liquid back into the ocean. "Why don't you try?"

Korra nodded and began doing as her Sifu instructed.


End file.
